


Powerless Hakurei Tales 10.7: Interlude

by Carmichael_Micaalus



Series: Powerless Hakurei Tales [10]
Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 15:29:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16663459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmichael_Micaalus/pseuds/Carmichael_Micaalus
Summary: Visiting Gensokyo, Tenshi finds out there's a party at the Hakurei Shrine for the Aki Sisters!  Iku however, has other responsibilities pertaining to the mysterious blonde puppeteer...





	Powerless Hakurei Tales 10.7: Interlude

Interlude (Autumn)

 

“...and finally, the end reports.”  Iku nodded as she handed the last scroll to the receptionist.  “I believe that should be the last of them.”

“Excellent, excellent…”  With the reports cataloged, the woman turned her attention back to the envoy and smiled.  “Thank you very much, Miss Nagae.”

“I am proud to serve.”  She bowed.

“With that, it looks like you’re- ah.”  As the woman paused, Iku could see a glow from behind.  Turning, the envoy found herself face to face with her god and master, the celestial dragon.

“My liege!”  She smiled, bowing once more.  Iku’s boss returned the bow.

The celestial dragon appeared to be a humanoid made of pure light.  Their form was ambiguous, any slight detail gleaned from the edges of the glow seemed to change, from clothing to limbs to gender.

“Iku, my dear!”  Their melodious voice filled the air as both stood back up.  “Good to see you, good to see you… are you busy?”

“I just finished my work for today, Ser.”  Their envoy responded, well aware the question had nothing to do with her workload, but if she were ready for another task.

“Well!  I- am- _famished!_  What say we get a bite to eat?”  They asked, extending a crooked arm.

“Certainly, my liege.”  Taking their arm, the two left the office.

 

“Here you are, dear.”  The god handed Iku her tacos and beverage from the food truck; the envoy had no idea which part of Earth they were on, but she knew to trust her master on matters of delicious food.

“Ah, thank you.”

“So,” they took a seat next to her on the stone bench; the local humans subconsciously avoided the oarfish and glowing god, unaware of their presence, “I’ve been reading your reports the past few months, pertaining to Miss Tenshi’s visits to Gensokyo.”  They took a bite of their food. “All that writing hasn’t been going to waste, believe it or not.”

Iku grinned; she had expected their meeting earlier, but with her master being in charge of Heaven’s Information and Secrecy, the celestial dragon was often detained by other matters.

“And I couldn’t help but notice some regularly occurring holes present… such as the identity of ‘the spirit’ in the Hakurei Shrine.”

Iku cleared her throat.  “That, ah, would be the Dread Lich Mima.”

Soda sprayed from the celestial dragon’s mouth.

“The Yama Slayer?”  They coughed.

“Yes, Ser.”  She nodded, handing them a napkin.  “I was confident it was her at first sight, but I still made sure to confirm with the head of the Yakumo Clan.”

“...well then.  I see why her name was left off.”  Taking another sip of their drink, another arm opened a scroll.  Images of the shrine appeared over the vellum; they could see the two Autumn Gods along with their shrine maiden, and the resident defender out front.  Adjusting the runes on the scroll, the two could see Mima flicker in and out of view. “Strong anti-scrying spells…” They nodded.

“She has done little magic in my presence, but her daughter… well, I believe you’ve seen what she’s capable of.”

“Indeed, indeed…”  The screen zoomed in on the shrine maiden, pattering over to her gods.  “And this girl… does she know who Mima truly is?”

“I believe so.”  Iku nodded once more.  “She did not wish to talk about her ‘Auntie’s’ past, as it was not for her to talk about.  However, from what I can determine, she seems to be well aware of what the lich has done before they met.”

“I see…”  The picture pulled back, Mima flickered in and out of the scene once more.  “And what is your take on her?”

“I… cannot say.”  The envoy shook her head.  “I believe she remains on guard around me; I cannot get a good feel for her.  From what I’ve gathered of the others… she is _very_ loyal to her daughter and niece.  The muscle for the Moriya Shrine was telling me some stories, and the gardener for Princess Saigyouji had her _successive reincarnations_ threatened for… past mistakes, shall we say.”

“Hm.  Hm.” They continued to watch the shrine as Iku continued on.

“Granted, with how many people the shrine maiden has won over, I suppose the lich may simply be another-”

One of the screens jarred suddenly, the scrying sensor detained without warning.  Mima’s flickering face filled the viewer, glaring.

“You may not technically be breaking the deal by doing this…”  The dread lich hissed, fractures appearing on the screen.  “But keep your eyes to yourself all the same.”

With a loud crack, the screens above the scroll shattered and disappeared.  The celestial dragon began to chuckle as they let go of the end, causing the scroll to spin shut.

“Well then!”  Iku could hear the smile in their voice.  “Well, well, well…”

Pulling the end of the scroll once more, images reappeared, showing the human town of Gensokyo.  One of the screens showed Tenshi, looking over a fruit stall.

“I suppose ultimately, my concern is this:  Is Mima an active danger to Miss Hinanawi?”

The two watched Tenshi for a moment, taking in the smells and sights.

“I don’t believe so.”  She finally answered. “Despite almost killing the lich, Tenshi only received a mild reprimand from her.  I will, of course, keep my-”

“ _Who is that?_ ”

Iku blinked; while the celestial dragon was somewhat infamous for interrupting those of equal or higher station than themself, it was incredibly rare for them to do so to their workers.  She leaned close, looking at the tall blonde talking to her charge.

“That… that’s… hm.”  Her eyes narrowed, their name eluding her.  “I’m fairly certain I saw…”

The celestial dragon touched her arm, clearing her mind.

“Ah!  That’s Magister Margatroid.  She’s… she was at shrine when we arrived the first time.”  She blinked, frowning. “She was… advising Lady Yakumo during the creation of the Contract.  How…?”

“I don’t recall you submitting anything about her.”  An air of caution entered their voice.

“I… I haven’t.”  Iku whispered, dumbfounded.  “Why haven’t I…?”

The doll sitting on the puppeteer’s shoulder turned towards the closest scrying sensor.  As Alice continued to talk to Tenshi, she reached down and touched her grimoire; the sensors suddenly blacked out.

“That’s… _very_ unexpected.”  Once more, the celestial dragon leaned back and let the scroll close.  “You are not the type to forget things so large as that, so I’m under the impression there is something else at play here.”  Finishing the last bite of the taco, they tossed their garbage in the nearby can. “You were planning to visit with Miss Hinanawi this afternoon, yes?”

“That’s correct.”

“I believe it would be best to let you get to that now.”  Standing up, the celestial dragon made one last stop at the food truck.  “Just know that I shall be watching through you as you do; something odd is going on, and I need to know what it is.  If it’s benign, that’s fine, but I must be certain.”

“Understood.”  She accepted her second drink as she stood.

“I shall escort you back to the Heavens.  Apologies for cutting our lunch short, dear.”

Iku smiled up at her liege.  “It’s quite alright, ser. No matter how short, I always enjoy our time together.”

 

* * *

 

While Tenshi could quickly enter Gensokyo through the shrine, she tried not to use it often as to avoid wearing out her welcome.  She also enjoyed looking around Gensokyo itself; the civilizations between the tengu, the kappa, and the humans were quite varied from Heaven, along with the raw wilderness all around.

To avoid losing track of time as she had done before, the celestial had decided to stick close to the town before meeting up with Iku at the shrine.  The smells of the food stalls and sights of the fresh produce in the fruit carts were tantalizing to her, making her stomach rumble. As she walked along, she sniffed the air as the scent of the Heavens became present.

“Hey Iku-” She started as she turned around.  She blinked and looked up, stunned to see the puppeteer instead of her friend.  The doll in blue sitting on her shoulder gave a wave. “O-oh, Miss Alice! Sorry, I thought-”  She took a step back to see the magician better. “- er, anyway, how are you?”

“I am well, Miss Tenshi.”  She smiled, giving a bow. “Doing some shopping?”

“Just the window variety; I don’t have any of the local currency, and both Iku and Magister Mima warned me not to use the gold of Heaven around here.”  Tenshi explained, realizing she had not talked with the puppeteer alone before. “How about you?”

“I’m picking up some things for today’s dinner at the shrine.”  The doll looked around as Alice paid the greengrocer. “Would you like to join me?”

“Sure!”  She smiled as the two began to peruse the other stalls.  “So um… now that I think about it, I see you at the shrine often; do you live there as well?”

A sheepish grin spread across Alice’s face.  “Not quite, but I can see why people come to think that.  I live in the Forest of Magic, but I like to cook for them, and offer advice when I can.  Marisa oftentimes has clothes in need of repair as well.” She paid for more groceries before turning her attention back to Tenshi.  “Reimu and her family are quite important to me, and by helping them, I feel I earn my keep in Gensokyo. That… and oftentimes, the tasks themselves are enjoyable.”

“Huh.”  Tenshi went quiet as she thought.  “‘Earning your keep’. Kinda wish there was something I could do to earn my keep in Heaven.”  She shook her head and sighed. “Then again, they’d probably just find something else to bitch about.”  The celestial grimaced as she realized she had spoken her thoughts aloud. “Er, sorry about that-”

“There will always be people who look for problems in others.”  Alice answered, giving Tenshi’s attempt at shift the topic no heed.  “But if you _were_ to do something to assist Heaven on a regular basis, how would it make you feel?  As if you were obligated to do so, or would you feel satisfaction from it?”

They walked in silence for a moment as the celestial gave the question some thought.

“Honestly?”  She started, looking at the puppeteer once more, “if it was something that helped people out somehow- like made ‘em feel better, or made their life easier- I think it’d make me happy.”

“Then you should look into it.”

“I’ve asked before, my family said I shouldn’t work… guess a lot of the noble families look down on people who do ‘lower class work’, so it could cause them problems in social situations.”  She frowned as she thought about the subject. “Never got that shit, myself…” She muttered. Alice chuckled.

“Look into diplomacy, maybe.”  The puppeteer suggested. “It’s important work; it’s not uncommon for ‘higher borne’ to handle diplomatic duties, and you can strengthen ties with good people.”

“Hm…”

“Although, my home’s generally found the best diplomats first have experience with grunt work, like being a courier.  And if I’m reading your situation right, that may make them balk…”

“Yeah,” She sighed, “I think I asked about it before, just throwing anything out…”

“But the grunt work _is_ important, if you do the right work.”  Alice motioned towards their next destination as she continued on.  “People don’t always pay attention to couriers, which makes it the perfect opportunity to watch and listen.  I don’t mean sneaking around, just… observing the area you go to as you’re there. Being able to pick up unsaid information is vital for jobs of that nature.”

“That’s…” Tenshi nodded to herself as she thought over what Alice told her, “yeah, that makes sense.”

“What I’d recommend is really study up on what the job entails, where you can learn skills related to that, and how Heaven chooses its diplomats.”  The puppeteer gave the shopkeep a nod as she paid. “Make sure it’s something you’d want to do, and if it is, then find out what you need to know in order to do it.”

“Yeah… yeah!  I think I’ll do that when I get home!”  The celestial smiled. “Thanks!”

“Not a problem!  I’d offer you a little more advice, but I know the customs of my home plane are a little different from yours.”  Alice’s eyes shifted over to Shanghai as the doll tried to hold back a sudden laugh.

“Oh, where _are_ you from, anyway?”  She asked the puppeteer.

Lightning struck the ground ahead of them, with thunder nowhere to be heard.  Where the bolt landed, Iku stood, sipping her drink.

“Iku!”  Tenshi dashed forward, hugging her guardian with all her might.

“Ack!  Good- good to see you as well, Tenshi!”

“How are you, Miss Nagae?”  Alice asked as she approached.

“I am well, Magister Margatroid.  I-” A moment of confusion passed over her face.  “Odd, I- I forgot what I was going to say…”

“Oh!  Did I make you wait long?”  The celestial pulled away and looked up at her, remembering where she was supposed to meet her friend.

“N-no, I came to the town directly.  I saw you were here, so I…”

Another frown crossed the envoy’s face.  Her thoughts continued to scatter whenever she tried to gather them.

“...hm.  I… I suppose I simply decided to meet you here.”  Iku shrugged, looking mildly embarrassed. “My apologies.”

“Hey, I’m always happy to see ya!”  Linking their arms, Tenshi tugged the envoy over to the magician.

“Well, if you don’t believe you had business in the town itself, would you like to head to the shrine?”  Alice held up the bags of groceries. “It’s almost dinner time.”

 

“We’re back.”  Alice called as she opened the door.  “We found Miss Tenshi and Miss Nagae along the way.”

“Oh hey,” Mima gave a wave from the table.  Next to her sat Patchouli and Marisa; the visiting magician read a book while Mima’s daughter poured over multiple tomes, paperwork everywhere.  “Didn’t know you guys were comin’ to this thing as well.”

“Oh!  Is… something going on?”  Tenshi asked. “I just came to visit, I didn’t know you were busy.”

“Eh, it's the Aki sisters anniversary of coming to the shrine.” The lich explained as Alice moved to the kitchen; they could hear chatter from Sakuya and Youmu as the puppeteer set down the groceries.  “We're just having a feast for them and the Moriya gang, since it's been around a year for them as well.”

She looked over at Patchouli for a moment before returning her attention to Tenshi.

“And you know, some others.  Friends of the family and shit.  At any rate, if you want to stick around, that’s fine.”

“Oh, well thank you!”  The celestial looked around.  “Is Reimu in the kitchen?”

“Nah, she and Reisen went to fetch the Moriya gang.”  She thought for a moment. “She should’ve been back by now, but knowing them, they probably got distracted.  Want to go fetch ‘em?”

“Ah, yeah-”  Tenshi looked up at Iku and nodded.  “-yeah, we can do that! They’re up on the summit, right?”

“Yeah, big gaudy shrine, next to a stupid lake.”  The lich waved a hand. “Can’t miss it.”

 

* * *

 

“I gotta admit, with the description she gave, I was expecting more…”

Iku glanced at Tenshi.  “Gingerbreading?”

“Yeah!”  She grinned before tilting her head.  “I like it, though.”

The two from the heavens stood in front of the Moriya Shrine.  The building was far larger than the Hakurei Shrine, standing in good condition despite the lack of people around.  As they looked about, the two realized the everpresent scent of the arcane at the Hakurei Shrine was nowhere to be found in the Moriya’s domain.

Iku motioned to the side.  Standing still, Tenshi could hear rhythmic clinks with a quiet counting.  The two made their way towards the sound.

“Ten… eleven…”

The celestial recognized the voice as belonging to Reisen.  Entering the room, the two ran right into a wall of humidity and sweat.  They could see various weight-lifting machines and equipment; off to the side were Reimu and Reisen with Sanae.  The shrine maiden stood to the side with a towel ready as the lunar rabbit spotted the wind charmer. Sitting on Reimu’s shoulder, Hourai glanced up at Tenshi.

“Fourteen… and set.  Well done, well done…”  Reisen helped guide the loaded barbell back onto the rack as Sanae let out a sigh.  Starry-eyed, Reimu handed her the towel.

“That’s amazing, Sanae!”  The shrine maiden cheered as the wind charmer wiped herself down.  Hourai tapped the shrine maiden’s cheek and pointed at the two visitors.  Both Sanae and Reisen snapped their heads in Tenshi and Iku’s direction before visibly relaxing.  “Ah! Hello Miss Tenshi, Miss Iku!”

“They send you to fetch us?”  Reisen asked as the wind charmer moved her cleaning to the bench.  Tenshi nodded.

“That’s right!  Miss Alice finished her shopping, and Magister Mima asked us to come and getcha!”

“Alright, let me just-”

Before Sanae could finish, Hourai muttered a spell, cleansing the wind charmer of sweat and dirt.

“There,” the doll sighed, “you're clean, now go change-”

“Don't just cast your spells as you please!” She growled.  “I don't want our shrine to reek of magic like your place!”

“Oh, fuck you!” Hourai shot back, holding her middle finger up at Sanae.  “My magic doesn't stink, _wind breaker!_ ”

Reisen smirked a bit as Reimu tried to calm the two, but to no avail.

“Tenshi!”  The two turned to the celestial and her guardian.  “Does the Hakurei Shrine stink of magic?!”

“W-well,” The celestial grinned nervously.  “I- I mean, there's a _scent_ of the arcane, but-”

“Ha! See?!”

“But I wouldn't say it stinks!  It's just… different, is all.”

“Let's… just head out, folks.”  Reisen interrupted, patting the shrine maiden on the shoulder.

 

“Not to slight Sanae, but…” Mima looked over the group, “but you seem to be short a couple of gods…”

“Divinity Yasaka and Divinity Suwako had a previous engagement!” Reimu explained.  “But! But Miss Sanae _is_ here, so it’s okay!”

“You can just say they're fuckin’.”  The lich sighed, looking at the wind charmer.  Sanae bristled, blushing as hard as the celestial.  “Reimu’s a big girl, she knows what-”

“Th- they're not-!” Her protest devolved into a growl as she covered her face with a hand.  Iku could see the magician from the Scarlet Devil Mansion grin.

“Arright, arright…” Mima motioned to the table as Alice and Ruukoto entered the room, carrying food.  The group sat down as the table was set, Reimu taking her seat between the two gods of Autumn.

“Everyone,” the shrine maiden called out, drawing the crowd's attention.  A gap in spacetime opened, depositing Yukari between Alice and Mima. “I thank you for coming here today.  One year ago, Divinity Minoriko and Divinity Shizuha were asked to become the gods of the Hakurei Shrine, and because of their aid, Gensokyo has finally begun to recover.”

She glanced down at the table for a moment, considering her words.  Looking up, she cast her gaze over everyone, smiling wistfully.

“But even with what we’ve been able to repair, Gensokyo is still fragile.  We never know what tomorrow may bring. So,” she motioned to the gods beside her, “yesterday, I talked with the gods of the shrine, and I asked if they would allow me to let all of you know how much I appreciate you.  And they agreed to let me do so.” She looked to the side at her sister, sitting next to Minoriko. “Marisa, since the first day we met, you've been keeping me safe. You always tell me what you think, even when you know it's something I don't want to hear, but you always give me the chance I need to prove myself.  Without you, I wouldn’t be able to help Gensokyo at all. I’m glad you’re my sister. Thank you.”

As she left the only human magician there blushing, she turned her attention to her aunt.  “Auntie, you taught me everything I know on how to talk to people, what to pay attention to, and how to act.  You've given us a family, and Gensokyo a chance. Thank you… for everything. I love you, Auntie.”

The lich gave her niece a soft smile as the girl looked at Yukari.  “Lady Yakumo, you've been a wealth of information on repairing Gensokyo and keeping it running.  We wouldn't be as far as we are without you. We wouldn’t have Gensokyo without you. I know we don't always see eye to eye on issues, but I appreciate the fact you always give me a chance to prove myself.  Thank you. Please give Miss Ran and Miss Chen my thanks as well.”

Turning to the two dolls standing on the table, Reimu grinned.  “Shanghai, you always cheer me up, and every time we talk, I learn something new.  Thank you. Hourai-”

“Yo.”

“- every single day, you do everything in your power to keep me safe.  The advice and guidance you’ve given me has helped so much. I know I don’t say this as often as I should, but thank you for being one of my closest friends.”

“Th-thank you, Reimu.”

Looking up at the puppeteer, the shrine maiden blushed, her smile growing.  “Alice… you, your mother, and your daughters have saved my life too many times to count.  You've kept my family fed, safe, and informed. Whenever I feel low, you’re there for me and…”

Reimu sniffed, wiping away a tear.

“...I- I think we’ll be here all night if I try to tell you _all_ the ways I’m thankful, so for now… thank you, Alice.  You’re one of the most wonderful people I know. I’m glad we met.  I love you.”

The puppeteer could only smile and nod, wiping away one of her own tears.  Lightly dabbing her eyelids, Reimu turned to to Iku.

Before the shrine maiden could speak, the oarfish held up her hands.

“I- I’m sorry but,” she turned to the puppeteer, “Miss Alice, how is she supposed to follow that up?”

There was a wave of chuckles; Alice covered her red face as she laughed as well.

“I mean, I haven’t had the time to do anything that grand!  It’s not that I don’t want to-!”

Her smile reaching her sapphire blue eyes, the puppeteer turned to Iku and put a finger to her lips.  “Shhh!”

Smiling as the laughter died down, the oarfish put a hand out towards the shrine maiden.  “Apologies for the interruption; I know your family takes nearly every opportunity to go for the jokes, and I assumed they would approve of that.”

“N-no, it- it was good!”  Reimu smiled as she fidgeted.  Mima shook her head, grinning. “I know we haven’t known one another for very long Miss Nagae, but you’ve always been very kind!  You’ve also taught me alot about Heaven, which I don’t have very many sources for!”

“It’s been a pleasure.”  Iku nodded.

Her composure regained, Reimu turned to the celestial.  “Miss Tenshi, in the short time we’ve known one another, you’ve become a good friend to me.  You’re one of the most positive people I know, and whenever you visit, I always have a wonderful time with you.  Thank you for being a bright ray of sunshine in my life.”

Her face as bright as the sun, Tenshi grinned broadly.  “O-oh! Well, you know, you’re one of my best friends, too!”

Giving the celestial a nod of thanks, Reimu turned her attention to the spectral gardener.

“Miss Youmu, you've helped us with countless matters both dangerous and bothersome, which I'm very thankful for.  I know it's not always easy for you to travel to Gensokyo… and I'm also aware you prefer to spend your downtime in solitude.”  She put a hand to her chest as she gave the half-phantom a nod. “The added effort it takes is not lost on us, and everyone at the shrine appreciates the extra mile you're always willing to go.  Thank you, Miss Youmu.”

The shrine maiden looked at the perfectly elegant maid. “Miss Sakuya, you've helped with a number of incidents, given Ruukoto assistance with her work around the shrine, and you always keep us honest on returning what we've borrowed from the library.”

There was a wave of snickers from the crowd as Reimu’s mystically-inclined family glanced away nonchalantly.

“We wouldn't be as far along as we are without you, Miss Sakuya.  In fact, we couldn't even have this party indoors without you, thanks to you expanding this room for us.  Thank you very much… and please give our thanks to the rest of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. ”

Smiling sweetly, Sakuya gave a bow to her host.  As Reimu turned to Patchouli, the space between the magician and the chief maid became full of oni.

“Hey, sorry I'm late- lookout, bean sprout.”  Suika belched as Patchouli cursed and muttered from the dense girl dropping in on her.  The small oni looked about as she gathered food from the table to her plate. “Oh, don't mind me; continue.”

“Miss Suika-”

“Aw, your not gonna chew me out for interrupting are ya?”

“She's not the yama, jackass!” Mima called out, eliciting another round of chuckles and snickers.

“- you've helped us out many times in the past,” Reimu continued on, causing the laughter over the interruption to die down, “by gathering information about incidents, and helping Marisa train in spell card battles.  We appreciate the help; thank you.”

“Th- that’s dirty pool, Reimu…”  The oni muttered as she dissolved into countless blushing Suikas.  The shrine maiden turned her attention to the last magician once more.

“Patchouli, you and Koakuma have helped us out so many times, it's staggering.  If it wasn't for you, there's a good chance Marisa and I would be orphans again. Even when we're at peace in Gensokyo, your insight, kindness, and knowledge have been such a boon to all of us, and Gensokyo as a whole.  Thank you, Patchouli, for everything you've done and for being my friend.”

The bespectacled magician gave her a pleased nod.  The wind charmer tensed up as Reimu looked in her direction.

“Sanae, you've taught me so much about how to be a shrine maiden, and you've been a good friend as well.  The Moriya pantheon has become one of the strongest benefactors Gensokyo has, and I'm glad all of you came here.”

Three green haired girl covered her face for a moment before looking at Reimu once more.   “You know, I can bench press nearly three of you, and yet you still manage to leave me bumbling and speechless, you little troublemaker!” Sanae grinned, her face red.  Reimu returned the smile and blush.

“Thank you for everything, Sanae.”

Reimu looked at the lunar rabbit, sitting on the other side of Shizuha.  Reisen smiled, a rare sight to those who did not live at the shrine.

“Reisen… th-thank you.”  The tiny girl flapped her arms.  “You're one of the most wonderful people I know.  I can't… I can't imagine how things would be without your friendship, your help… without you.  I know I don't say it enough, but… you're an absolute joy to be with, and we're all enriched by your presence.  Thank you, Reisen. I love you.”

“Mm.” The commander gave a nod to her friend, her blush shining through.

Wiping away a tear, Reimu looked back at the shrine’s robotic maid.

“Ruukoto, you've been a big help for all of us ever since Professor Okazaki left you in our care.  You help keep our shrine looking nice, and you're always there to give me a hug when I need one. Whenever we have one of our parties, you're always there to give us a hand, and help keep the chaos manageable.  Thank you for all you've done, Ruukoto.”

“It’s Not A Problem, Reimu.” The maid bowed.  “But It Pleases Me To Know You Appreciate It.”

Turning her attention to the gods on her sides, Reimu took the hand of the god of leaves, giving it a squeeze.

“My Divinity Shizuha… every day you help teach me what it means to be a shrine maiden.  You make sure I'm doing the right thing, and you make sure I'm safe. Ever since you've arrived, your love has brightened my day.  Without you, I wouldn't be able to do my job anywhere near as well as I do. Without you… Gensokyo would only be getting worse instead of better.  Thank you, my divinity. I hope my work makes you proud.”

Keeping a hold of the elder sister's hand, Reimu looked up at the god of harvest, taking her hand as well.  “My Divinity Minoriko… every day you give me strength, allowing me to do my part to help Gensokyo. Without you, I wouldn't be able to find and fix nearly as many problems with the Hakurei Barrier as I have.  Not only that, but the love and kindness you give me helps me in ways I can't even describe. I hope the work I’ve done is acceptable to you.”

Reimu looked over the table one more time.  Tears lined her eyes, held back only by her smile.

“I am… so very blessed… to know each and every one of you.  Thank you… for everything you’ve done.  Th- thank…”

Reimu sniffed her nose as her tears began to pour.  Her smile only grew as her gods pulled themselves closer to the girl, keep ahold of her hands.

“Thank you, Reimu…”  Shizuha whispered.

“Thank you…”  Minoriko echoed, pulling her into their embrace.

 

* * *

 

“Oh, well _look- at- that_ ,” the celestial dragon mused from their home, watching Gensokyo through Iku’s eyes, “not only did they finally make it back to the shrine, Miss Margatroid is still there!  Will wonders… never cease!”

After sending Iku back down to earth, the deity had poured over their surveillance dealing with the ‘invisible’ blonde magician.  Having learned what to look for, they were able to attune the monitors to see the influence of the identification ensorcellment. They laughed as they realized their very method of sending their envoy down had actually been used against them, not only interrupting the conversation between the daughter of their friend and the magician in question, but also causing Iku to forget her new reason for heading directly to town.  From there, it was easy for the magic to chase the two of them off, giving Alice plenty of time to escape.

Despite their snark, the fact she had remained made the celestial dragon pause.  They knew if she were an ally of the Hakurei and nothing else, she would have no reason to flee.  However, there was always a chance she could be attempting to take out any who may know of her before they could be warned again.  It was a slim chance, but in their long life, they had seen many slim chances come to life.

“Really?”  They blinked.  “Really? ‘You, your mother, and your daughters.’  It even influenced her not to say the name because of those two.  I can’t believe…” They sighed before laughing bitterly. “Did _I_ design this spell?  Who could even-”

Alice turned towards Iku, bring a finger to her lips.

Electric blue eyes stared right at the celestial dragon, freezing them in place.

“Shhh…”

Grinning madly, Alice continued to try and suppress her laughter at Iku’s joke, her sapphire blue eyes standing out against her red face.

The celestial dragon continued to sit, staring in stark horror.

“Miss Tenshi, in the short time we’ve known one another…” Reimu continued on, the interruption long since over.

“O-oh.”  They finally uttered.  “Oh. _Oh._ ”

Their hearts finally started once more.

“...fuck.”

 

* * *

 

“Marisa?”

Sanae’s hollow voice was drowned out over the noise of the party.  The wind charmer stood in the hallway leading to the bedrooms, her face pale.

“Marisa?”  She called again.  Reimu looked up at her from Minoriko’s lap.

“Is everyone okay, Miss Sanae?”

The wind charmer slowly turned in her direction, her stare going for a thousand yards.

“Reimu, why-”  She paused as she clenched her eyes shut, shaking her head.  She looked down at the shrine maiden once more. “Why is there a nuke in your sister’s room?”

Reimu tilted her head.

“The- the bomb, the missile.”  She let out an exasperated sigh at the continuing blank stare from the girl.  “Big, long thing, white with a red nose, a smile…” she grit her teeth, looking to the side, “...talks…”

“Oh!”  The shrine maiden’s face lit up.  “Little Mimi!”

“That-”  The wind charmer touched her temples, trying to calm herself.  “It has a name? Of course it does.”

“ _‘She’_ has a name, yes.”  Mima answered, apparating behind Sanae.  “Little Mimi, the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.”

The girl raised her hands, but could only stutter, unsure of where to start with the information given.

“That… that- no.  No. Just- no, _why is there a nuke in here?_ ”

“She's a family friend, introduced to us by Professor Okazaki.”

Biting her tongue on her thoughts of the Hakurei’s family friends, Sanae paused.  “That- Reimu mentioned her… who-?”

“That'd be the one who ‘gifted’ Ruukoto to us.”  The spectre nodded. “She caused some trouble in Gensokyo long ago, before we met Yuuka.  First major incident that Marisa and Reimu faced.”

“O-okay?”

“After Marisa ‘talked’ to her, and then Reimu talked to her, she granted each a favor.  Reimu asked about getting help around the shrine, so she gave her Ruukoto.”

Their eyes moved over to the robotic maid.

“...still think we got the short end of the stick on that one… anyway, Marisa asked for a weapon from the outside world.  So she gave her Lil’ Mimi.”

Once more, Sanae put her hands to her temples.  Mima sighed, rolling her eyes.

“So… I told you _why_ she's here… what's making you panic now?”

“There's a nuke in the shrine!”  Sanae snapped before bringing her volume under control.  “You don't just- you can't just- it's dangerous! What if- what if something happens, like- like-”

“Like the shrine getting knocked down in an earthquake?”  The lich concluded, watching the colour drain from the wind charmer’s face.  “Heavens and Hells, do you think I'm an idiot? Lil’ Mimi is covered in protective wards, just like Ruukoto.”

Sanae’s head slowly rotated in Ruukoto’s direction once more.

“Yeah, she's powered by fusion,” Mima nodded, “that symbol on her back isn't just for fashion, you know.”

“...p-please give me your pipe.”  The wind charmer whispered, holding out a shaky hand.

“Why were you in Marisa’s room, anyway?”  Mima asked, watching her take her hit.

“Heard a voice calling for Marisa.”  Sanae coughed. “Thought someone needed help.  When I was trying to see who was talking, I realized there was a missile in there… and then I realized it was the one I heard.”

“Huh.”  Mima scratched her chin as the wind charmer gave the pipe another go.  “Mimi’s normally pretty quiet; what did she want?”

“I… I don’t know.”  She blinked. “I just… sort of left when I realized what was talking to me.”

Mima sighed, heading towards the bedrooms.  “Rude girl…”

 

* * *

 

“Mm…!  That was fun!”  Tenshi stretched her arms as they entered the Palace of Heaven.  She spun towards Iku, smiling. “Thanks for coming with me, I really appreciate it, Iku!”

The envoy smiled, bowing.  “It is not a problem, Miss Hinanawi.”  While Iku was aware Tenshi preferred her first name used, both were aware that in the Palace, the walls had ears.  “If you need my assistance for anything else, please let me know.”

“Ah, you've returned my envoy, I see!”  A melodious voice called out. The two turned to face the celestial dragon; they both bowed.

“Divinity.”  Tenshi smiled politely.  “My uh, apologies if I've kept-”

They placed a hand on the celestial’s shoulder, chuckling softly.  She could feel a breeze surround the three, keeping their voices from those they did not wish to hear.

“Oh I've been meaning to thank you for that, Miss Tenshi!  As excellent as a worker Miss Nagae is, she tends to shirk her breaks.  Thank you for making sure she gets her rests in; I do appreciate it.”

The celestial smiled up at the glowing figure.  While they were certainly more of a friend of her father's than hers, the celestial dragon was one of the very few individuals who did not participate in the political machinations of Heaven, treating Tenshi like a person instead of an obstacle or a target.

“Well… Iku’s my best friend; I'd like to think we help take care of one another.”  She glanced away for a moment. “Well, I’m pretty sure I’m benefiting more from that one that one than her, but…”

“Your friendship means a great deal to me, Tenshi.”  Iku smiled.

“Aw…!”  Tenshi cleared her throat, trying to ignore the heat from her blush.  “W-well, I should um… I know you have some stuff to do, so I should… I’ll see you tomorrow Iku!”

“Take care, Tenshi.”  The envoy and the god bowed as Tenshi did the same; they both watched the celestial leave before turning their attention back to one another.

“So!  Let’s play a little game, my dear…”  The celestial dragon started as they both walked towards the exit of the palace.

“Oh dear…”

They chuckled at her reaction.  “It’s called ‘What Were You Planning To Do In Gensokyo Today?’”

The deity shifted their location to their own palace as their envoy’s brows drew together in thought for a moment.  Iku went rigid in realization.

“My liege, I-!”

They chuckled softly, patting her shoulder.

“It’s quite alright, dear.” They assured her.  “Her identity is protected, and I had no idea how thorough it was until after I had sent you.  You are not at fault.”

“W-well… was I still able to help at least?”

“Oh yes!  When the little Hakurei was giving her thanks to everyone and you spoke to her, it allowed Magister Margatroid’s… patron, shall we say, to make herself known through you and Alice herself.”

Iku glanced up at the celestial dragon as the continued to walk; while she was well aware her liege had many secrets she would never know, she _did_ know they never dangled information unless they planned to reveal it.

“So…?”  She finally relented.  They let out a melodious chuckle.

“Well, it has to do with who she’s related to.”  The continued on, clearly enjoying the moment.

“And who would that be, my liege?”  She asked sweetly.

“She’s the daughter of… well, I suppose you could say Royalty!  From out of this world!”

“Is she from any realm we know of?”

“Mm…”  Their tone grew faint.  “One we’re responsible for, you could say.”

Her brows pinched once more.

“What…”

“Makai.”

Iku’s pace slowed as pieces began to fall into place, hard.

“She’s from Makai’s- wait.”

The envoy came to a complete halt; her voice a whisper.

“Makai has no royal family… o-only a…”

“‘A God’, yes… she is Grand Divinity Shinki’s daughter.”  The celestial dragon stood with their arms behind their back as another scratched their brow.  “The old battle axe still has what it takes to give me full cardiac arrest, too.” They cleared their throats.  “At any rate, judging by your reaction, neither you nor Tenshi even suspected.”

“No.”  She shook her head.  The two began to walk again.  “But… why is she…?”

“I do not know, really.”  They shrugged. “And to be honest, I’m not all that concerned.  You _know_ how Makai is.”

“That-”  She took her turn at clearing her throat, blushing slightly.  “I wasn’t planning to _say_ , but…”

“Don’t worry, we’re Secure.”  She could hear the grin in their voice.

“They’re far less likely to ever _think_ of harming a non-celestial than we ever will be.”  Iku finished her thought, letting the bitterness flow.  “A thousand times more likely to help someone, to be honest.”

“ _Exactly._ ”  They sighed.  “Not to say I didn’t react in much the same way as you did, mind.  But considering her involvement with the Contract and how fair it was, I think it’s safe to say they don’t _care_ about us.  And that’s fine.  If I were to guess any reason at all, it would probably be they’re trying to secure the Hakurei’s soul.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if the girl was _from_ there…”  Iku nodded.

“Indeed.  At any rate…”  They turned in their envoy’s direction.  “Little Tenshi’s… only read the sanitized information on Makai, hasn’t she?”

“She’s never given me any reason to believe otherwise.”

“Hm.  While I don’t think you’ll fully remember what we’ve talked about while anywhere else, I would advise keeping anything about this you do remember to yourself.  The poor girl is finally starting to smile, there’s no reason we need to inform her about our… estrangement from the truth concerning there just yet.”

“Understood.”

“Of course, if something else reveals this to her…” they glanced down at their envoy and nodded, “well, I’ll trust your judgement on the damage control.  You may invoke my Name for whatever you need for such an incident.”

“Thank you, ser.”

“At any rate, I know you just came from a party, but I am _starving!_  I’m fairly certain I can construct _something_ from whatever’s in my kitchen, if you care to join me?”

“I am rather parched.”  Iku smiled. “At the very least, I can drink with you.”

“Good enough for me!”

 

* * *

 

“I’m… startin’ to think you guys are full of shit.”  Suwako sighed as she cracked her knuckles. Kanako rolled her eyes as they continued through the underground.  In her arm, she cradled the body of a three legged crow.

((I really don’t care what you think, halfstack.))  A guttural voice emerged from the vicinity of the dead bird.  “You want me to fuel your whatever, I need a body.  A better body than _this_ , at any rate.”

“I don’t believe Suwako was denying that, divinity.”  Kanako stated patiently as she ducked under an archway.  Off in the distance, they could see the Capital of Old Hell.  “It’s the qualifications of what you _need_ for a body that she has-”

(( _There._ ))   The sun crow interrupted, incapable of motioning.  (( _That one._ ))

Looking around, the two divinities of the Moriya Shrine noticed a hell crow sitting on a rock, lost in thought.  She glanced their way as the approached, looking less than pleased at the interruption.

“Hello there.”  Kanako smiled, looking down at her.  “I was wondering if-”

The hell crow slowly stood, unfolding her body as she did so.  Kanako kept eye contact, craning her neck as the youkai stood at full height, almost a half a foot taller than the god.  Glaring down at the divine being for a moment, she turned around and flapped her massive wings, taking off.

“Must’ve been somethin’ you said.”  Suwako shrugged, standing next to her companion.  Kanako sighed.

((I want that body.))

“I think she might be a fan of it.”  The tall one commented, arching an eyebrow at the deceased.

((She couldn’t even talk!))  They countered.  ((Look, the closer to animal intelligence they are, the easier it will be for me to take over, okay?  Do you want to work with someone who already said they’d help you, or someone who suddenly has the power you want and nothing binding them?  I promise if _they_ remain, they _won’t_ like you.))

“Refusing to talk to a stranger doesn’t make her feral.  At any rate, we’ll have to continue another time.” They turned around, heading back under the archway.  “If that’s the one you want and she’s angry with us, then we need to think of a plan. Besides, shouldn’t be gone from the shrine for very long.”

((Hey, I ain’t goin’ anywhere.))  The yatagarasu grunted.  ((Just remember:  That one.))

**Author's Note:**

> Oh hey, there *is* a spot for notes. So, this chapter is what made me not update on Ao3 for the past month or two, and you can probably see why... original character. I honestly thought I had seen Iku having a dragon god for a boss (not looking like how I made them, but yeah), but if I have, it's likely it was in a doujin somewhere. Either way, I needed an official of some sort for Iku to be reporting to (and seeing to Tenshi's safety) but since the games have noted that Iku doesn't work for the Hinanawi Clan, I didn't want to use Lord Nai.  
> The other snafu I ran into was the 'Dragon God' is actually a character in Touhou Lore - they helped create Gensokyo. So... I needed a new name to differentiate between the two. Today I decided on 'Celestial Dragon' and just did a Find/Edit through my doc.
> 
> I'm honestly not sure how many other OCs will end up in this story, but any I do make, I plan to use them just like this - talking only to characters directly related to them, and not visiting the majority of Gensokyo. CD's main purpose will simply be to have someone for Iku to report to, and give a slightly larger glimpse of Heaven when it's needed.


End file.
